{"title":"From 'Frankenstein Science' to Cosmopolitan Ethics: Overlooked Perspectives on the 'CRISPR Babies' Scandal.","authors":"Jane Qiu","doi":"10.1089/crispr.2025.0057","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In November 2018, Chinese biophysicist He Jiankui stunned the world by announcing that he had created the first genetically-modified babies. Is he a rogue scientist? What are the socio-cultural contexts that motivated him to commit an act widely regarded as morally indefensible? What does it say about Chinese bioethics? How should we determine whether it can ever be justified to permanently alter the human gene pool? This article highlights the global institutional failures that enabled this unfortunate episode, including the prevailing international scientific culture and the persistent Western bias against scientific work originated in the Global South. It calls for systemic efforts-including regulatory reforms, increased transparency, public engagement, and international cooperation-to strengthen ethics governance both within nations and across borders. Finally, it advocates for decolonizing bioethics, advancing the sociology of bioethics, and fostering a cosmopolitan approach to ethics grounded in diversity, equity, inclusion, and our shared humanity.</p>","PeriodicalId":54232,"journal":{"name":"CRISPR Journal","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":3.7000,"publicationDate":"2025-05-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"CRISPR Journal","FirstCategoryId":"99","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1089/crispr.2025.0057","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"GENETICS & HEREDITY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
In November 2018, Chinese biophysicist He Jiankui stunned the world by announcing that he had created the first genetically-modified babies. Is he a rogue scientist? What are the socio-cultural contexts that motivated him to commit an act widely regarded as morally indefensible? What does it say about Chinese bioethics? How should we determine whether it can ever be justified to permanently alter the human gene pool? This article highlights the global institutional failures that enabled this unfortunate episode, including the prevailing international scientific culture and the persistent Western bias against scientific work originated in the Global South. It calls for systemic efforts-including regulatory reforms, increased transparency, public engagement, and international cooperation-to strengthen ethics governance both within nations and across borders. Finally, it advocates for decolonizing bioethics, advancing the sociology of bioethics, and fostering a cosmopolitan approach to ethics grounded in diversity, equity, inclusion, and our shared humanity.
CRISPR JournalBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology-Biotechnology
CiteScore
6.30
自引率
2.70%
发文量
76
期刊介绍:
In recognition of this extraordinary scientific and technological era, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers recently announced the creation of The CRISPR Journal -- an international, multidisciplinary peer-reviewed journal publishing outstanding research on the myriad applications and underlying technology of CRISPR.
Debuting in 2018, The CRISPR Journal will be published online and in print with flexible open access options, providing a high-profile venue for groundbreaking research, as well as lively and provocative commentary, analysis, and debate. The CRISPR Journal adds an exciting and dynamic component to the Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. portfolio, which includes GEN (Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News) and more than 80 leading peer-reviewed journals.